HB0969 • 2026

Detection of Developmental Delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children Education Parental Rights

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Tant ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Chambliss ; Eskamani ; Harris ; Rosenwald
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the exact content of the informational materials beyond what is legally mandated.

Detecting Developmental Delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder

This bill requires the Department of Health to develop informational materials for parents and guardians about detecting developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder in children, and mandates early learning coalitions to inform parents about these resources.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Health to collaborate with school districts to create informational materials on how to detect developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder.
Specifies that these informational materials must be available online through the department's website.
Requires early learning coalitions to notify parents and guardians about the availability of these resources annually starting September 30, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

Parents and guardians of students in prekindergarten through second grade.
The Department of Health and school districts throughout the state.
Early learning coalitions that provide information about voluntary prekindergarten programs.

Terms To Know

Developmental delays: When a child does not reach certain milestones in physical, cognitive, or social development at expected ages.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A range of conditions affecting social interaction and communication skills.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact content beyond descriptions, signs to look for, screening recommendations, and state resources.
It is unclear how the effectiveness of these measures will be evaluated or monitored after implementation.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2026-01-12 House
• Referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee • Referred to Student Academic Success Subcommittee • Referred to Health & Human Services Committee • Now in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
2026-01-05 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Detection of Developmental Delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder; Requires DOH, in collaboration with school districts throughout this state, to develop informational materials for detection of developmental delays & autism spectrum disorder for parents & guardians of certain students; provides requirements for such informational materials; requires early learning coalitions to notify parents & guardians of availability of such informational materials.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 969 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb969-00
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the detection of developmental 2
delays and autism spectrum disorder; creating s. 3
381.993, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health, in 4
collaboration with school districts throughout this 5
state, to develop informational materials for the 6
detection of developmental delays and autism spectrum 7
disorder for parents and guardians of certain 8
students; providing requirements for such 9
informational materials; amending s. 1002.53, F.S.; 10
requiring early learning coalitions to notify parents 11
and guardians of the availability of such 12
informational materials; providing an effective date. 13
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
16
Section 1. Section 381.993, Florida Statutes, is created 17
to read: 18
381.993 Developmental delays; autism spectrum disorder; 19
detection.— 20
(1) The Department of Health, in collaboration with school 21
districts throughout this state, shall develop informational 22
materials for the detection of developmental delays and autism 23
spectrum disorder for parents and guardians of students. The 24
informational materials shall be made available to each learning 25

HB 969 2026

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hb969-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

coalition, prekindergarten provider, school district, and 26
charter school through the department's website. 27
(2) Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, the department 28
shall develop the materials related to the detection of 29
developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder and post the 30
information on its website. The department shall develop a 31
standardized methodology for each learning coalition, 32
prekindergarten provider, school district, and charter school 33
for the notification of the parents or guardians of voluntary 34
prekindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade 35
students by September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, of the 36
availability of the developmental delay and autism spectrum 37
disorder detection materials. 38
(3) Information provided to parents and guardians shall 39
include, but not be limited to, all of the following: 40
(a) A description of developmental delays and a 41
description of autism spectrum disorder. 42
(b) A description of the signs associated with 43
developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder. 44
(c) A recommendation for a developmental screening for 45
students displaying signs associated with developmental delays 46
and autism spectrum disorder. 47
(d) Existing state resources for students identified as 48
at-risk for developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder, 49
including, but not limited to, regional sites of the Center for 50

HB 969 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

Autism and Related Disabilities and the Early Head Start 51
program. 52
Section 2. Subsection (5) of section 1002.53, Florida 53
Statutes, is amended to read: 54
1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; 55
eligibility and enrollment.— 56
(5) The early learning coalition shall provide each parent 57
enrolling a child in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education 58
Program with a profile of every private prekindergarten provider 59
and public school delivering the program within the county where 60
the child is being enrolled. The profiles shall be provided to 61
parents in a format prescribed by the department in accordance 62
with s. 1002.92(3). The early learning coalition must also 63
annually notify parents and guardians of the availability of 64
informational materials for the early detection of Type 1 65
diabetes pursuant to s. 381.992 and for the detection of 66
developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder pursuant to s. 67
381.993. 68
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 69